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Questions on Hop Stopping

Northern Brewer General
#1

I am relatively new to homebrewing (all extract) and love the character and flavor of an IPA. Unfortunately most of the IPA’s I have brewed seem more like a Pale Ale and don’t have the hop characteristics I expect. I just came across a few threads here about hop standing ( viewtopic.php?f=5&t=76188#p710910 ) and think this is what I am missing. I have followed my recipes exactly, so when it calls for me to “cool down as quickly as possible” I have done so, which appears now to be a waste of any late additions as well as any flame-out hops. I have a couple of questions about the hop stand technique.

(1) Is chill haze a concern since the beer is not chilled ASAP?

(2) Not chilling for up to 80 minutes after the boil would seem to potentially let bacteria or other bad stuff into the beer. Does keeping the temps in the 190-195* range kill off the bad stuff that may enter?

(3) I have seen posts that say the lid should be on during the rest period, and others that say to leave it off. Which is correct?

(4) After chilling down from 212* to 195* is it a good idea or not to leave my copper immersion coil in the beer for the entire “stand”? Or should I set it in some starsan until needed for the final chill?

(5) It appears that the reason to chill to 195-190* before throwing in the flameout hops is anything higher than this temp range will likely extract too much bitterness from the hops, and this 190-195* range extracts flavor and aroma only. Is this true? What other temp or temp range will help with flavor and not bitterness?

(6) Would it be easier for a noob (me) to try this this technique with a recipe that already has a generous flameout addition like NB Jamils Evil Twin, or should I be able to modify an IPA that has additions throughout the recipe like NB Dead Ringer?

(7) What would be the best hop schedule to brew Dead Ringer with the hop stand technique to create great hop flavor but not increase the intended bitterness? (Love those Centennial hops!)

#2

Big OOOOOOOPS topic thread should have read Hop Standing not hop stopping!

#3
  1. No
  2. Nothing gets in because you have it covered. And if it did, it would die.
  3. Covered to keep the heat it - there is no downside to covering post-boil.
  4. Chill to 195 with the IC, then leave it in for ease and to keep it sterile.
  5. Definitely extracts bitterness, but less so than at a boil. Adds tons of flavor and aroma.
  6. You will need to adjust all but the bittering hop addition if you use a hopstand - anything added for less than 30 minutes will move more towards bittering. IME, moving 5-20 min additions to flameout and 0-5 min additions to hopstand works to preserve the later additions flavor and aroma contributions.
  7. See #6.
#4

You say your beers turn out like pale ales…care to share the recipes?

Are you using beer software to more accurately reach your desired IBUs?

#5

I’m and IPA lover too. I think that maybe the kits you’ve been trying are not the best for the style and hop flavor you want. You cannot go wrong with the Dead Ringer. Plenty of hop character as is. Jamil’s Evil Twin as well. I’ve done both and have not been disappointed with the hop character. Other IPA kits I’ve tried and have been pleased with have been the Sinistral Warrior IPA and Ryan’s Face Punch IPA (which I’ve only tried 1 after 2 weeks of carbing.) The best I’ve had so far is the Dead RInger. I know this doesn’t answer your questions, but as a noob, following the recipe helps to learn the process before adding “advanced” techniques. Short advice: Brew the Dead Ringer kit, you’ll be happy with the results.

#6

I forgot the T-can and Bearcat Wheaten Beatdown. Also a very hop forward brew!

#7

Shredd3r, I have used only kits from NB and AHBS as well as a local HBS in Mich, so I have not needed to use software to create a recipe. I do have a copy of Brewsmith that I mess around with though. I have brewed only extract kits, and most of them are some variation of an IPA. I have just never had a batch that had the “huge” hop flavor that I get from a store bought IPA like Shorts Huma Luma Licious, Founders Centenial IPA, Bells Two Hearted River etc. I am sure I have made some noob mistakes along the way, but have stuck with the instructions as close as possible, and still don’t get what I am looking for, thats why a hopstand sounds like the key to what I am missing.

Shadetree, To clear up something from your reply. Where would you put the 5 min hop addition for Dead Ringer if doing a hopstand? your answer to #6 in the original thread sounds like I could use the 5 min hop addition at flameout or for my hopstand. I am assuming also that I should still use the 1oz dry hop?

One more question, when I cool down to 195* for the hopstand and throw in the hops, what is a minimujn low end temp that I should end the hopstand at if my batch cools down past 190* before I hit 80 minutes?

Thanks.

#8

[quote=“Hopped Up”]Where would you put the 5 min hop addition for Dead Ringer if doing a hopstand? your answer to #6 in the original thread sounds like I could use the 5 min hop addition at flameout or for my hopstand. I am assuming also that I should still use the 1oz dry hop?[/quote] Correct on both.

I’ve had good results keeping the temp in the 180-195F band. Probably wouldn’t worry about it going a little below that, but I would add some heat if it hit 175F.

#9

I should have also asked about boil volume. The recipe calls for a 2.5 gallon boil with a top off. Since the hop schedule has been modified for hopstanding, what should i use for the boil volume, 2.5 gallons, full boil, or something in between?

#10

All extract kits that i have ever come across call for 2-2.5 gallons for the boil, this is the miniumum you would want to have before your wort is to thick from the extract and is discoloring from the heat more than you’d like. NB and other suppliers are simply making the assumption that if your brewing extract your kettle is most likely no larger than a 5 gal. which is why that is in the recipe. Once you upgrade your kettle say to an 8 gal. start brewing 5 gal. batches and just ignore that part of the recipe.

#11

Larger volume is going to give you better results (think of it as tea).

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